Low-Interference Golf Tee Saver Set

ABSTRACT

A golf tee set with a keeper for preventing a golf tee from flying into a driving range or being lost, in which a first golf tee is tethered to a second golf tee, wherein a first point of attachment of the tether to the first golf tee is free of interfering force on at least the first golf tee, and wherein the tether is constructed of a filament having less weight, stiffness and resistance to twisting compared to a minimum weight, stiffness and resistance necessary to cause interference with the first golf tee loaded with a golf ball. In one embodiment, either tee can be used as an anchor, and the other tee played. The tees may be of different lengths, so as to provide a set of tees.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to devices to keep golf tees from being lost or ejected into a driving range.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

When driving a golf ball, a golfer places a golf tee into the ground, tops it with a golf ball, and then strikes the ball with a club. Usually, the golfer's swing is inexact, and a portion of the face of the club strikes the tee, lifting it out of the ground and sending it flying, too. This can result in loss of the tee, as its direction and distance is much less predictable than the ball. And, players may lose time looking for lost tees, further slowing play and the amount of golfers who may enjoy a golf course during a given period of time.

SUMMARY OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A golf tee set is provided with a keeper for preventing a tee from flying into a driving range or being lost, in which a first golf tee is tethered to a second golf tee, wherein a first point of attachment of the tether to the first golf tee is free of interfering force on at least the first golf tee, and wherein the tether is constructed of a filament having less weight, stiffness and resistance to twisting compared to a minimum weight, stiffness and resistance necessary to cause interference with the first golf tee loaded with a golf ball. In one embodiment, either tee can be used as an anchor, and the other tee played. The tees may be of different lengths, so as to provide a set of tees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description set forth herein is illustrated by the several drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B provide a top view and a side cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment in play prior to a drive of a golf ball.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a top view and a side cutaway view of an exemplary embodiment subsequent to driving a golf ball.

FIG. 4 illustrates an advantage of an embodiment according to the present invention which allows the golfer to set a desired tee height, even if the connection point of the tee to the tether is planted below ground level.

FIG. 5 illustrates another exemplary embodiment which provides two or more lengths of tethered tees as a set of tees.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments of the present invention will prevent losing a golf tee, and in at least one embodiment, will provide a set of different length tees. While other devices exist which prevent a tee from flying freely upon a drive, each of them exhibits at least one undesirable characteristic.

For example, some tees keepers are flexible, however, the present inventor has recognized that they are no supple enough to prevent the tee keeper from exerting some amount of force on the tee, such as pushing or twisting, which is believed to possibly cause inaccuracy in the tractor of the ball. At ranges of 75 yards or more, even a small amount of hook, slice, topping or other interference can result in measurable and undesirable results of the drive. Because many golfers are acutely aware of this, they will not purchase or use a product which even appears to potentially interfere with their “swing”. For example, newer golf tees now have 3 or 4 fingers which hold the ball, rather than the traditional cupped circular indentation, on the theory that the fingers make less contact with the ball, and therefore, provide less interference with the striking of the ball.

Second, the present inventor has discovered that many golfers try to accurately sink their tees into the turf at a consistent depth, which leaves the seat for the ball at a consistent height from the turf. In this manner, these golfers believe their drive swing is improved because the distance between the ball and their shoulders is consistent and well-practiced. Several devices are currently on the market which allow a golfer to mark his or her tees for consistent depth or height setting, and some devices even work alongside of a tee as it is being planted to prevent its being planted too deeply. The success of these devices in the marketplace reflects golfers' beliefs that consistent height setting of a tee is important. Some tee saving or tee keeping devices, however, may interfere with the setting of the tee height, wherein some of them are large enough around the shank of the tee to prevent the tee from being planted beyond a depth in which the tee saver might contact the ground.

Finally, the present inventor has realized that, even though golf can be a very expensive game to play, the players are very cost conscious and will avoid purchasing anything which is too expensive for the function provided, or which appears to be gimmicky or just a gadget.

Therefore, the present inventor has recognized a need for a tee saving or tee keeping device which provides one or more of the following advantages:

-   -   it does not provide real or apparent force on the tee when the         ball is teed up;     -   it does not provide real or apparent force while the ball is         being struck;     -   it does not interfere with a players desired depth planting of a         tee;     -   it prevents players at driving ranges from dangerously walking         into the range area to retrieve tees; and     -   its design enables cost effective manufacturing commensurate         with retail costs of similar tee-related products.

Further, in at least one embodiment according to the present invention, the tee saver provides the player with two or more tee lengths or tee types, thereby doubling as a set of tees as well as a tee saver, which provides greater economic advantage and requires less room in the golfers golf club bag or pocket.

Turning to FIG. 1, a first embodiment according to the present invention is shown in which a first tee (1) is tethered by a filament (15) to a second tee (2). Each tee has a crown (11) for receiving a golf ball, a shank (12) for planting into the turf, and a point (13) for reducing the amount of force needed to plant the tee, especially in hard or dry soil. In this exemplary embodiment, the tether (15) is secured to each tee (1, 2) using a hole formed through each shank, and tied, glued, heat welded, or otherwise retained permanently or removably to the tees. In this particular configuration, either tee can be used as the playing piece, while the other tee can be used as an anchor. Usage of the through-hole in the shank and a very flexible filament, such as monofilament fishing line, has been found by the present inventor to provide no discernable interfering force on the tee. Further, the components and steps in manufacturing are relatively inexpensive, and the tether is thin enough to avoid its interring with the player's desire to plant the tee as deep as he or she wishes.

FIG. 2B shows a side view and FIG. 2A shows a top-down view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a teed-up state. The first tee (1) is used as the playing piece, and in this depiction, it has been planted into the turf (4) with the through-hole in the shank above ground level. The tether is dressed loosely along the turf to the second tee (2), which is planted as an anchor. By placing the anchor sufficiently far away from the playing piece to avoid the club striking the anchor, while also leaving plenty of slack in the tether, the player is visually assured that the tether is exerting no interfering force onto the playing piece tee. The length of the tether can vary depending on the player's preference, however, the present inventor has found a length of 8 inches to 12 inches to provide sufficient space between the playing piece and the anchor while avoiding extra bulk when the pair is placed in a player's pocket.

The tee keeper is shown in a post-drive mode, in a side view in FIG. 3B and a top-down view in FIG. 3A. In this mode, the ball is no longer visible because it has been driven down range, and the playing piece tee (1) has been knocked out of the ground (4) and forward, but the anchor tee (2) has remained in the ground (4). Just after impact of the club on the ball, the playing piece tee flies freely from the ground without interference from the tether until it reaches a distance from the anchor equal to the length of the tether. At this point, the forward motion of the playing piece (1) is stopped, and it drops to the turf, as shown (a). At this point, the player can easily retrieve both tees, wind or wad up the tether, and place the pair into his or her pocket or golf club bag.

In FIG. 4, an advantage of the present invention is illustrated, in which the playing piece tee (1) is sunk or planted deeply enough such that the connection point (14) of the tether to the shank is below ground level. Because the connection method of a through-hole does not disturb the shape or diameter of the shank, and because the tether and knotting is so thin, the player will not even notice that he or she has pushed the tee into the ground so far that the connection point is now sunken. This promotes natural play, without distraction to the player, and allows the player to set any tee depth he or she wishes.

An enhanced embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5 in which three tees are tethered to each other, each being of different lengths from the others. In this manner, the tee keeper not only keeps a tee which is being used, but it also provides a set of different length tees. Players who use different length tees often must dig through their club bags, pockets, or plastic bags of tees to find the length they wish, which delays play of the game and may cause frustration if the desired length is not readily found. With the multiple lengths all tethered together, the player simply plants the selected tee into the turf for play, and then selects either of the other two tees for an anchor.

Similarly, each tee can be made of a variety of materials, such as wood, rigid plastic, flexible plastic, etc., such that the set of two or more tees may also offer a variety of tee materials. And, the tips (13) of the tees may vary in construction—some may be plastic or wood, while others are metal for use in harder ground types. The tether may be constructed of nylon filament, similar to fishing line, or any other light duty wire or string which provides little or no stiffness or resistance to twisting.

In another embodiment, the method of securing the tether to the tee may be removable, such as providing a toggle at the end of the tether. The toggle is first oriented in a position parallel with the axis through the hole in the shank, and passed through the hole. On the other side of the hole, the toggle is turned orthogonal to the axis of the hole, essentially parallel to the shank. This allows the tether to connect to the tee with even less interference force, and allows the tee to be removed by reversal of the process, and alternative tees to be attached to the tether.

In another embodiment, the tether may be tied or otherwise attached to a ring, loop, barrel, or disc-shaped washer, though which a tee is received, thereby avoiding the need to drill or form a hole in the tee shank, and allowing the user to insert his or her favorite tee(s).

SUMMARY

The foregoing exemplary embodiments are intended to teach how to make and use the invention, but not to express the limits of the spirit and scope of the invention. In some embodiments, a disclosed singular element may be replaced by a plurality of elements, and vice versa, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Alternative materials from those disclosed in the exemplary embodiments may be employed, so long as the function and intended performance is maintained or improved. 

1. A golf tee with keeper tee comprising: a first golf tee having a first point portion, a first crown portion above the first point portion, and a first shank portion between the first crown portion and the first point portion; a first barrel attached around, but not through, the first shank portion at a position immediately above the first point portion; a second golf tee having a second point portion, a second crown portion, and a second shank portion between the second crown portion and the second point portion; and a first tether extending between the first golf tee and the second golf tee, the first tether having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is secured to the first golf tee by the first barrel to the first shank portion immediately above the first point portion, and wherein the second end is secured to the second golf tee; wherein the tether is constructed of a filament, and wherein the first barrel is of a shape and size which does not disturb the shape or diameter of the first shank portion, thereby preventing a noticeable force required by a user to sink the first point portion and first barrel below ground level such that first barrel would be concealed from view of a player to promote natural play with the golf tee.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The golf tee with keeper tee as set forth in claim 1 wherein first end of the first tether is captured between the first barrel and the first shank portion. 4.-6. (canceled)
 7. The golf tee with keeper tee as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first tether comprises a segment of fishing line. 8-15. (canceled)
 16. The golf tee with keeper tee as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: a third golf tee having a third point portion, a third crown portion, and a third shank portion between the third crown portion and the third point portion; and a second tether extending between the third golf tee and the second golf tee, the second tether being secured to the second golf tee and to the third golf tee.
 17. The golf tee with keeper tee as set forth in claim 16 wherein the first shank portion, second shank portion and third shank portion are of three different lengths. 